With several large fires burning in the state, many wonder if their normal hunting areas are open to access.

According to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s recent Big Game Hunting Forecast, most forests will have restrictions on activities, and motorized use and some private lands will be closed to public access.

For a resource on private timberland closures, they recommend forestry’s and the Oregon Forest Industries Council’s Corporate Closure List. It includes phone numbers of landowners to check the latest status. For more information on current private land closures visit, ofic.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/2017-Closure-Form.pdf.

If you plan to hunt on public land, check with the land manager (US Forest Service or BLM, ODF) for public lands information.

Rule changes

Fish and Wildlife also noted a few rule updates for the 2017-2018 season. Edible portions of game mammals are now defined and include the meat from the front quarters, hind quarters, the loins (backstrap) and tenderloins. For elk, the meat of the neck is also included. All defined edible portions of a game mammal must be recovered. See page 95 of the Big Game Regulations for more information.

Hunters with a disabilities permit are reminded to check page 93 of the Big Game Regulations to see which units allow them to take any sex deer or elk.

Finally, lighted arrow nocks are now legal for bowhunters. Lighted nocks increase the visibility of the arrow and are helpful for following the flight of and retrieving arrows.

Deer and elk populations

However, it’s not all doom and gloom. In August of last year, 100 percent of Oregon was in severe drought and 50 percent in the even worse category of “extreme drought.” While parts of northeast and southeast Oregon are still experiencing a severe drought, conditions have improved across the state.

“We had normal winter precipitation and a wet spring,” said Autumn Larkins, ODFW Assistant District Wildlife Biologist for Harney County. “Water availability is much better this year.”

It’s a similar story in northeast Oregon.

“The weather is much better suited to deer and elk production as opposed to last year’s record drought,” said Mark Kirsch, ODFW District Wildlife Biologist in Umatilla County.

Noticeably missing from this list are blacktailed deer. ODFW does not have a reliable way to estimate currently. That may change soon.

ODFW researchers are using a new technique to estimate blacktailed deer numbers based on DNA analysis of deer scat.

Researchers and dogs collect all the scat in a certain area and land ownership type (national forest, industrial timber land, small forest holdings) and develop a density estimate based on ownership type. Deer on different ownerships also are trapped and fitted with radio collars to show survival rates, causes of death and home range size. All this information will eventually be extrapolated into population estimates throughout Western Oregon.

Good luck this season, and remember to purchase your license, at the latest, the day before the season starts. You can purchase your license and tag online at dfw.state.or.us, at a local ODFW office or an authorized retailer such as Bi-Mart, Fred Meyer or Cabela’s.

Dominic Aiello is an avid hunter, angler, and wildlife policy expert. He is a Cabela’s Pro Staff member and president of the Oregon Outdoor Council. Follow his adventures on Instagram @daiello91 or Twitter @HunterInformant.